Adjustable firearm sight

ABSTRACT

A sight for a firearm, which may be the front sight of a revolver or other handgun, is adjustable to control the elevation of its sighting surface. The sight is pivoted about a transverse axis and includes an adjustment screw which is held against the stationary structure of the firearm by a biasing spring working between the sight and such stationary structure.

[ Mar. 14, 1972 United States Patent Lewis 54] ADJUSTABLE FIREARM SIGHT 2,788,600 4/1957 Pokomy....................................33/47 [72] Inventor: Karl R. Lewis, 77 Onley Road, Wether- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS sfield, Conn. 06109 Aug. 15, 1969 1,780,134 5/1934 Australia 122] Filed:

Primary ExaminerLeonard Forman Assistant ExaminerPau1 G. Foldes [21] Appl. No.: 850,370

Attorney-McCormick, Paulding 8L Huber [57] ABSTRACT A sight for a firearm, which may be the front sight of a [51] Int. [58] Field of 1e to control the elevation of its sighting surface. The sight is pivoted about a transrevolver or other handgun, is adjustab [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS verse axis and includes an adjustment screw which is held against the stationary structure of the fireann by a biasing a u rl t s w a n .m t a t S h s m m s m M F g a .m t h w .w m H D h 8 1. m n e e m M C M 9 g .m k r 0 w M nm Pu St 8675 HEM 333 3 34 Wendelstadt.............................

e w mw va a w SCS PATENTEDMAR 141912 3, 648 374 sum 1 BF 2 INVENTOR KARL R. LEWIS %ZWI M ATTORNEYS PATENTEDHAR 14 1912 3.648.374

sum 2 or 2 FIG. 5

INVENTOR KARL R. LEWIS ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE FIREARM SIGHT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to firearms and deals more particularly with the construction of one of the sights normally used in sighting such a firearm on a given target.

The sight of this invention is particularly well adapted for use as the front sight of a handgun such as a piston-type revolver. The sight is not, however, limited to such use and may be used with various different types of firearms such as rif fles and in its broader aspects may also be used as a rear sight rather than a front sight.

, Previously, in many types of firearms, particularly handguns, it has been relatively customary to utilize a fixed front sight and to employ a rear sight which is adjustable both vertically and laterally to allow compensation for both vertical and horizontal errors. This requirement for including both vertical and horizontal adjustment in the rear sight necessarily makes the construction of the rear sight relatively com-' plicated, and in the case of handguns this complication is further increased by the fact that the sight must usually be made of a relatively small size consistent with the small size of the handgun. This invention relates to a sight construction which, as mentioned, is particularly useful as the front sight of a firearm and which provides for vertical adjustment of the associated sighting surface. The construction is one which may be simply and economically made and'which in use is very easy to adjust. The use of this vertically adjustable sight as a front sight allows the associated rear sight to be made for lateral adjustment only, therefore permitting this rear sight to be also made of a much more simple and economical construction than has heretofore been the case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in a sight for a firearm which is connected to the fixed structure of the firearm for pivotal movement about a transverse pivot axis for elevational adjustment of its sighting surface. A stop member in the form of an adjustment screw is carried by the sight at a point spaced from the pivot axis and a spring urges the sight in such a direction about the pivot axis as to urge the adjustment screw into engagement with the fixed structure and to hold the front sight in a correspondingly limited position. By rotating the adjustment screw relative to the sight, the spacing between its head, which provides a stop surface, and the sight may be varied to adjust the limited position of the sight and to thereby accordingly adjust the elevation of its sighting surface. An annular spring with a cantilevered detent tongue cooperates with detent notches on the head of the adjustment screw to provide for a click-type adjustment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the front portion of a handgun including a front sight embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the portion of the handgun shown in FIG. I.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing in a state of disassembly the various parts making up the front sight of the handgun of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the detent spring used in the front sight of the handgun of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an end view of the detent spring of FIG. 6 taken generally on the line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a view taken generally on the line 8-8 of FIG. 5 showing the bottom of the head of the adjustment screw.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning to the drawings, and first considering FIGS. 1 and 2, these figures show the front portion of a handgun I0 equipped with a front sight assembly, indicated generally at 12, embodying the present invention. The handgun I0 is or may be of the revolver type and may, for example, be generally similar to that shown in US. Pat. No. 3,163,951. It includes a barrel 14 having a bore 16, and received on and surrounding the barrel is a shroud 18 which is, in part, held in place on the barrel 14 by an annular nut 20 threadably received on the front end of the barrel. The axis of the barrel 14 constitutes the firing or longitudinal axis of the handgun 10 along which a projectile moves during firing, and the barrel I4 and shroud 18 comprise part of the fixed structure of the handgun.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 3 to 8 for a more detailed description of the front sight assembly 12, this assembly, as shown in these figures, comprises an elongated front sight 22 which extends generally parallel to the firing axis of the handgun and which is received in part in a longitudinally extending recess 24 formed in the shroud I8, the shroud in the vicinity of the recess 24 including two upwardly projecting ribs 26, 26 which add additional depth thereto. At its front and rear portions, the recess 24 extends completely through the shroud to the surface of the barrel 14, but at its intermediate portion, its two vertical walls are joined by a bottom web 28.

The sight 22 is connected to the shroud 18 for pivotal movement relative thereto about a transverse axis located intermediate its ends. This pivotal connection is provided by a pivot pin 30, in the form of a roll-pin," which is press fitted into two aligned openings 32, 32 in the shroud ribs 26, 26 and loosely received in an opening 34 in the front sight 22. The vertical walls 36, 36 of the shroud recess 24 are flat and parallel. The corresponding walls 38, 38 of the sight 22 are likewise flat and parallel and are spaced by a distance closely equal to the spacing of the shroud walls 36, 36 so that the sight is restrained thereby against lateral movement.

The front portion of the sight 22 is the sighting portion and includes a raised sighting surface 40 which in the sighting of the handgun I0 is used in cooperation with the sighting surface or notch of the rear sight (not shown). An inclined series of transverse ribs 42 precede the sighting surface 40 in order to reduce glare and render more prominent or visible the sighting surface 40.

At its rear end the sight 22 carries a stop member in the form of an adjustment screw 44 having an enlarged head 46 and a threaded stem 48 which is threadably received in an opening 50 in the sight. The screw 44 and the rear end portion of the sight are in turn received in an opening, formed in the shroud l8, communicating with the recess 24 and including an inner smaller diameter portion 50 and an outer larger diameter portion 52 which portions are separated by an annular shoulder 54 extending radially relative to the axis of the screw, the shoulder at its forward end being interrupted by the recess The sight 22 is biased in the counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3, to urge the head 46 of the adjustment screw toward the shoulder 54, by a U-shaped leaf spring 56 located forwardly of the pivot pin 30 and received in a pocket 58 formed in the lower portion of the sight. The upper leg of the spring 56 rests flatly against the upper wall of the pocket 58 and the lower leg engages the web 28 of the shroud. The sight assembly is therefore connected entirely to the shroud and at no point engages the barrel 14 so to not interfere with the changing or replacement of the barrel.

The lower surface 60 of the adjustment screw constitutes a stop surface for limiting the counterclockwise movement of the sight under the influence of the biasing spring 56, and between this surface and the shoulder 54 of the shroud is an annular detent member 62. The detent member 62 is preferably made of a spring material and, as shown best in FIGS. 6 and 7, includes an annular portion 64, which rests on the shroud shoulder 54, and, at its forward end, a forwardly projecting tongue 66 including a detent element in the form of an upwardly extending rib 68. The tongue 66 extends into the longitudinal recess 24 and is therefore vertically unsupported. That is, it is held in a cantilevered fashion from the annular portion 64 of the member. Engagement of the tongue 66 with the vertical walls 36, 36 of the recess, however, prevent the detent member from rotating about the axis of the adjustment screw.

For cooperation with the rib 68 of the detent member, the undersurface 60 of the adjustment screw includes a large number, for example, 16, radially extending grooves 70, 70, best shown in FIG. 8, any one of which may receive the rib 68. A slot 72 formed in the head of the adjustment screw is designed to receive a screwdriver, coin or other tool for rotating the same.

From the foregoing, it will therefore be understood that the leaf spring 56 biases the sight 22 in the counterclockwise direction and urges the head 46 of the adjustment screw downwardly toward the shoulder 54 of the shroud and thereby firmly holds the detent member 62 in place between the screw head and the shroud, and by this engagement, also limits or establishes the angular position of the sight relative to the shroud to fix the elevation of the sighting surface 40. If the screw is now rotated, in one direction or the other, the spacing between the head of the adjustment screw and the rear end of the sight is varied to vary the angular position of the sight about the axis of the pivot pin 30 and to correspondingly vary the elevation of the sighting surface 40. As this turning takes place, the rib 68 of the detent member is moved from one to another of the conforming grooves 70, 70 in the undersurface of the screwhead, the tongue 66 carrying the rib 68 deflecting downwardly into the recess 24 as such movement takes place. The resiliency of the member 62 tends to urge the rib 68 upwardly into one of the grooves 70, 70 and thereby releasably retains the adjustment screw in whatever position it is last moved to, the action being similar to that commonly referred to as click-type action. That is, the rib 68 and grooves 70, 70 provide a large number of angularly spaced discrete index positions for the screw at which index positions, the screw is releasably held by the detenting action provided by the rib 68 and grooves 70, 70.

It shall be noted, however, that the rib on the detent member, such as the rib 68, which cooperates with the grooves 70, 70 to provide the detent action need not necessarily be located on the tongue 66 and if. desired it could instead be located on the annular portion 64 of the detent member. In this latter case, as the screw 44 is turned from one detent position to another the sight 22 pivots about the pin 30 against the action of the spring 56 as required to permit such turning of the screw. Also, the detent member need not be limited to only one rib, such as the rib 68, but may, if desired, be designed with two or more such ribs without departing from the invention.

lclaim:

1. In a firearm having a fixed structure with a firing axis along which axis a projectile travels during firing, the combination comprising means defining an upwardly opening elongated recess in said fixed structure extending generally parallel to said firing axis, an elongated sight received in said recess and extending generally parallel to said firing axis, said sight having a first longitudinal portion which projects upwardly from said recess beyond said fixed structure and defines a sighting surface and said sight also including a second longitudinal portion which is located entirely within said recess, said second longitudinal portion of said sight being one end portion thereof, said recess in the vicinity of said one end portion having a lower portion for receiving said one end portion of said sight, an upper portion wider than said lower portion, and an upwardly facing shoulder between said upper and lower portions, said recess adjacent said lower portion of said recess in the vicinity of said one end portion of said sight being defined by two spaced longitudinally extending walls at which walls said shoulder terminates, means supporting said sight for pivotal movement relative to said fixed structure over a range of angular positions and about a pivot axis extending generally perpendicular to said firing axis and located intermediate said first and second longitudinal portions of said sight, a screw threadably connected to said one end portion of said sight so as to be movable therewith relative to said fixed structure, said screw being located entirely within said recess and having an enlarged head located above said one end portion which head includes a downwardly facing surface supportable by said shoulder to limit said movement of said sight about said pivot axis, a detent member positioned between said shoulder and said downwardly facing surface of said screwhead, biasing means working between said sight and said fixed structure for biasing said sight relative to said fixed structure about said pivot axis so as to normally resiliently hold said head of said screw against said detent member, and an up wardly opening slot in said head of said screw for receiving a turning tool for adjustably moving said screw relative to said sight to vary the position said sight assumes relative to said fixed structure when said sight is in the limit position at which it is held by the engagement of said head of said screw with said detent member, said detent member having an annular portion resting on said shoulder and a tongue portion located between said two longitudinally extending walls of said recess, said screwhead having a plurality of detent elements on said downwardly facing surface arranged at angularly spaced positions thereabout, and said detent member having a complementary detent element thereon for cooperation with said detent elements of said screw to releasably hold said screw in any selected one of a plurality of possible angular positions as determined by said detent elements.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 further characterized by said detent elements on said screw comprising a series of radially extending notches in said downwardly facing surface of said screw and said detent element of said detent member comprising a radially extending rib on said detent member which rib is receivable in any one of said notches of said adjustment screw.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means for biasing said sight relative to said fixed structure comprising a spring located between said fixed structure and the end portion of said sight opposite from said one end portion.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 further characterized by said sight being located near the forward end of said firearm so as to serve as a front sight, and said one end portion which carries said adjustment screw being the rear end portion of said sight.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 further characterized by said fixed structure of said firearm including a barrel and a shroud surrounding said barrel, said front sight being connected to said shroud.

6. The combination defined in claim 5 further characterized by said shroud at its front end including two longitudinally extending raised ribs which are spaced from one another to form part of said longitudinally extending recess.

7. In a firearm having a fixed structure with a firing axis along which axis a projectile travels during firing, the com bination comprising means defining an upwardly opening elongated recess in said fixed structure extending generally parallel to said firing axis, an elongated sight received in said recess and extending generally parallel to said firing axis, means supporting said sight for pivotal movement relative to said fixed structure over a range of angular positions and about a pivot axis extending generally perpendicular to said firing axis, said sight having a first longitudinal portion which projects upwardly from said recess beyond said fixed structure and defines a sighting surface and said sight also including a second longitudinal portion which is located entirely within said recess, a stop member carried by said second longitudinal portion of said sight so as to be movable therewith relative to said fixed structure, said stop member being located entirely within said recess and having a part thereof engageable with said fixed structure to limit said pivotal movement of said sight about said pivot axis, biasing means working between said sight and said fixed structure for biasing said sight relative to said fixed structure about said pivot axis so as to normally resiliently hold said stop member against said fixed structure, and means for adjustably moving said stop member relative to said sight to vary the position said sight assumes relative to said fixed structure when said sight is in the limit position at which it is held by the engagement of said stop member with said fixed structure, said stop member being threadably connected with said sight and having a part which projects upwardly beyond said second longitudinal portion of said sight, and said means for adjustably moving said stop member relative to said sight including an upwardly opening slot in said upwardly projecting part of said stop member for receiving a turning tool, said pivot axis being located intermediate said first and second longitudinal portions of said sight, said first and second longitudinal portions of said sight respectively being the opposite end portions thereof, and said biasing means comprising a spring means located between said fixed structure and the one of said end portions of said sight opposite from the one of said end portions which carries said stop member.

8, The combination defined in claim 7 further characterized by detent means cooperable with said stop member to releasably hold said stop member in any selected one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said sight.

9. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by said rib being located on said tongue portion of said detent member. 

1. In a firearm having a fixed structure with a firing axis along which axis a projectile travels during firing, the combinaTion comprising means defining an upwardly opening elongated recess in said fixed structure extending generally parallel to said firing axis, an elongated sight received in said recess and extending generally parallel to said firing axis, said sight having a first longitudinal portion which projects upwardly from said recess beyond said fixed structure and defines a sighting surface and said sight also including a second longitudinal portion which is located entirely within said recess, said second longitudinal portion of said sight being one end portion thereof, said recess in the vicinity of said one end portion having a lower portion for receiving said one end portion of said sight, an upper portion wider than said lower portion, and an upwardly facing shoulder between said upper and lower portions, said recess adjacent said lower portion of said recess in the vicinity of said one end portion of said sight being defined by two spaced longitudinally extending walls at which walls said shoulder terminates, means supporting said sight for pivotal movement relative to said fixed structure over a range of angular positions and about a pivot axis extending generally perpendicular to said firing axis and located intermediate said first and second longitudinal portions of said sight, a screw threadably connected to said one end portion of said sight so as to be movable therewith relative to said fixed structure, said screw being located entirely within said recess and having an enlarged head located above said one end portion which head includes a downwardly facing surface supportable by said shoulder to limit said movement of said sight about said pivot axis, a detent member positioned between said shoulder and said downwardly facing surface of said screwhead, biasing means working between said sight and said fixed structure for biasing said sight relative to said fixed structure about said pivot axis so as to normally resiliently hold said head of said screw against said detent member, and an upwardly opening slot in said head of said screw for receiving a turning tool for adjustably moving said screw relative to said sight to vary the position said sight assumes relative to said fixed structure when said sight is in the limit position at which it is held by the engagement of said head of said screw with said detent member, said detent member having an annular portion resting on said shoulder and a tongue portion located between said two longitudinally extending walls of said recess, said screwhead having a plurality of detent elements on said downwardly facing surface arranged at angularly spaced positions thereabout, and said detent member having a complementary detent element thereon for cooperation with said detent elements of said screw to releasably hold said screw in any selected one of a plurality of possible angular positions as determined by said detent elements.
 2. The combination defined in claim 1 further characterized by said detent elements on said screw comprising a series of radially extending notches in said downwardly facing surface of said screw and said detent element of said detent member comprising a radially extending rib on said detent member which rib is receivable in any one of said notches of said adjustment screw.
 3. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by said means for biasing said sight relative to said fixed structure comprising a spring located between said fixed structure and the end portion of said sight opposite from said one end portion.
 4. The combination defined in claim 3 further characterized by said sight being located near the forward end of said firearm so as to serve as a front sight, and said one end portion which carries said adjustment screw being the rear end portion of said sight.
 5. The combination defined in claim 4 further characterized by said fixed structure of said firearm including a barrel and a shroud surrounding said barrel, said front sight being connected to said shroud.
 6. The combination defined in claim 5 further characterized by said shroud at its front end including two longitudinally extending raised ribs which are spaced from one another to form part of said longitudinally extending recess.
 7. In a firearm having a fixed structure with a firing axis along which axis a projectile travels during firing, the combination comprising means defining an upwardly opening elongated recess in said fixed structure extending generally parallel to said firing axis, an elongated sight received in said recess and extending generally parallel to said firing axis, means supporting said sight for pivotal movement relative to said fixed structure over a range of angular positions and about a pivot axis extending generally perpendicular to said firing axis, said sight having a first longitudinal portion which projects upwardly from said recess beyond said fixed structure and defines a sighting surface and said sight also including a second longitudinal portion which is located entirely within said recess, a stop member carried by said second longitudinal portion of said sight so as to be movable therewith relative to said fixed structure, said stop member being located entirely within said recess and having a part thereof engageable with said fixed structure to limit said pivotal movement of said sight about said pivot axis, biasing means working between said sight and said fixed structure for biasing said sight relative to said fixed structure about said pivot axis so as to normally resiliently hold said stop member against said fixed structure, and means for adjustably moving said stop member relative to said sight to vary the position said sight assumes relative to said fixed structure when said sight is in the limit position at which it is held by the engagement of said stop member with said fixed structure, said stop member being threadably connected with said sight and having a part which projects upwardly beyond said second longitudinal portion of said sight, and said means for adjustably moving said stop member relative to said sight including an upwardly opening slot in said upwardly projecting part of said stop member for receiving a turning tool, said pivot axis being located intermediate said first and second longitudinal portions of said sight, said first and second longitudinal portions of said sight respectively being the opposite end portions thereof, and said biasing means comprising a spring means located between said fixed structure and the one of said end portions of said sight opposite from the one of said end portions which carries said stop member.
 8. The combination defined in claim 7 further characterized by detent means cooperable with said stop member to releasably hold said stop member in any selected one of a plurality of angular positions relative to said sight.
 9. The combination defined in claim 2 further characterized by said rib being located on said tongue portion of said detent member. 